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崔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
崔cuīhigh, lofty, towering; surnamenr, 11 strokes, radical 山, rank #3869, Hard
崔cuīsurname Cuiunknown, 11 strokes, radical 山, rank #3869, Hard
崔cuīprecipitousunknown, 11 strokes, radical 山, rank #3869, Hard
cuī(Cui1) T1
  1. 1high, lofty, towering; surname
  2. 2precipitous
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March 24, 2026
崔cuī(Cui1)

崔 (cuī) primarily refers to something that is high, lofty, or towering, often used to describe physical heights such as mountains or buildings. It can also be a common Chinese surname, and in some contexts, it conveys the idea of steepness or precipitousness.

Strokes11Radical山Frequency#3869DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The surname 崔 is associated with historical figures in Chinese literature, and it appears in many classical poems, reflecting the beauty and grandeur of nature, often symbolized by lofty mountains.

Memory Tip

Imagine a towering mountain (崔) that 'cries' out to the sky (the sound 'cuī' sounds like 'cry'). Visualize someone standing at the peak, looking down at the steep cliff, emphasizing its lofty nature.

Meanings of 崔

cuī(Cui1)
1high, lofty, towering; surname
2precipitous
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 崔

崔Simplified
11Strokes
山Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 崔

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Podcast: 崔

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AI Study Notes for 崔

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a towering mountain (崔) that 'cries' out to the sky (the sound 'cuī' sounds like 'cry'). Visualize someone standing at the peak, looking down at the steep cliff, emphasizing its lofty nature.

Usage Notes

崔 is often used in more formal contexts, particularly in literature or descriptive writing. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, and it is commonly paired with words related to height or steepness, such as '山' (mountain).

HSK Study Tips

Although 崔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to the HSK level 3 vocabulary like '高' (tall) and '山' (mountain). Focus on recognizing its meaning in context, especially when discussing geography or family names.

Cultural Note

The surname 崔 is associated with historical figures in Chinese literature, and it appears in many classical poems, reflecting the beauty and grandeur of nature, often symbolized by lofty mountains.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 崔 as 'cuǐ', using a falling tone instead of the correct rising tone 'cuī'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like '崔' and '催' (to urge), which have different meanings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 崔

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Etymology of 崔

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A bird 隹 faced with a mountain 山

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 崔?

Decomposition of 崔

IDS Structure⿱山隹
崔Full Character
=
山Shan1
top
隹zhui1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 崔?

Write 崔

崔

Practice writing 崔 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 崔

崔 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

蕾珍娜和____西喜欢逛街浏览橱窗, 特别是城里高价商品的橱窗.

Regina and Tracy like to window - shop, especially at the expensive stores downtown.

Example Sentences for 崔 (1)

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1
蕾珍娜和崔西喜欢逛街浏览橱窗, 特别是城里高价商品的橱窗.

lěi zhēn nà hé cuī xī xǐ huān guàng jiē liú lǎn chú chuāng, , tè bié shì chéng lǐ gāo jià shāng pǐn de chú.

Regina and Tracy like to window - shop, especially at the expensive stores downtown.

Cultural Notes for 崔

🏮Cultural insight

The surname 崔 is associated with historical figures in Chinese literature, and it appears in many classical poems, reflecting the beauty and grandeur of nature, often symbolized by lofty mountains.

Word Family of 崔

Words Containing This Character7
崔cuīhigh mountain
崔永元Cui Yongyuan (1963-), TV presenter
崔健Cui Jian (1961-), father of Chinese rock music
崔琦Daniel C. Tsui (1939-), Chinese-born American physicist, winner of 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics
崔巍tall
崔嵬stony mound
崔颢Cui Hao (-754), Tang dynasty poet and author of poem Yellow Crane Tower 黃鶴樓|黄鹤楼崔顥
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 崔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 崔

In everyday conversation, 崔 is less frequently used on its own, but you might encounter it in names or descriptions of tall structures.